Differences in physical activity behaviors between university women from metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.

Objective: Rural and emerging adult women report low physical activity (PA) levels. This study identified differences in current self-reported PA levels and perceived resources among US university women from metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas. Participants: Women were ages 18-24 y, full-time students who attended in-person university classes before COVID-19. Methods: They completed an online cross-sectional survey between July-September 2020 collecting demographic, university PA (via IPAQ), and perceived PA resource data. Results: Most participants reported metropolitan area high school (70.4%) and university (92.3%) attendance. Metropolitan participants did less job-related moderate PA during university (0.0 (0.0-360.0) MET-min) than rural (160.0 (0.0-1320.0) MET-min) participants. Metropolitan and micropolitan participants identified more high school community and natural resources than rural participants. Rural participants identified more university campus and community resources than metropolitan participants. Conclusions: University women reported similar levels of PA regardless of the rurality of their high school community.

Baseline Physical Activity Behaviors and Relationships with Fitness in the Army Training at High Intensity Study.

United States Army soldiers must meet physical fitness test standards. Criticisms of the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) include limited testing of only aerobic and muscular endurance activity domains; yet, it is unclear what levels of aerobic and muscle strengthening activity may help predict performance in aspects of the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). This study explored relationships between baseline self-reported aerobic and muscle strengthening activities and APFT- and ACFT-related performance. Baseline participant data (N = 123) were from a cluster-randomized clinical trial that recruited active-duty military personnel (mean age 33.7 ± 5.7 years, 72.4% White, 87.0% college-educated, 81.5% Officers). An online survey was used for self-report of socio-demographic characteristics and weekly aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity behaviors. Participants also completed the APFT (2 min push-ups, 2 min sit-ups, 2-mile run) and ACFT-related measures (1-repetition maximum deadlift, pull-up repetitions or timed flexed arm hang, horizontal jump, and dummy drag). Bivariate logistic regression found greater aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity predicted better APFT performance, while better ACFT-related performance was predicted by greater muscle-strengthening activity. Although our data are mostly from mid-career officers, command policies should emphasize the new Holistic Health and Fitness initiative that encourages regular aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity for soldiers.

Effects of Caffeine on Exercise Duration, Critical Velocity, and Ratings of Perceived Exertion During Repeated-Sprint Exercise in Physically Active Men.

Caffeine improves short-to-moderate distance running performance, but the effect of caffeine on repeated sprints are equivocal. This research determined if caffeine improved exercise tolerance during repeated-sprint exercise. iCV is a running velocity that distinguishes intermittent running velocities (velocities ≤ iCV) that are sustainable from those resulting in a predictable time to exhaustion (velocities > iCV). Seven physically active men (age = 21.6 ± 1.5 years, body mass = 72.8 ± 5.1 kg, VO2max = 56.9 ± 9.8 mL/kg/min) ingested caffeine (5 mg/kg) or placebo (crossover design) 60 min prior to an intermittent critical velocity (iCV) test. The treadmill grade and velocity at VO2max (vVO2max) were used for iCV testing, and consisted of 3 bouts (10 sec running and 10 sec passive rest) at 130, 110 and 120% vVO2max. Each bout continued until volitional exhaustion and was separated by 20 min of passive rest. Total distance and duration were recorded to determine exercise tolerance using the iCV model. Caffeine ingestion increased running duration at 110% vVO2max (p = 0.02), but not at 120 (p = 0.93) and 130% vVO2max (p = 0.14). Caffeine did not improve iCV model parameters. A single dose of caffeine consumed 60 min before repeated-sprints can improve performance at 110% vVO2max, but not at higher velocities.